Credit Union Donations

The Insight Credit Union Bowling Team, which won the trophy for highest scoring team, and Special Olympic Athletes.

The Credit Union League of Connecticut, Meriden, Conn., said the board of trustees of its Connecticut Credit Union Charitable Foundation has voted unanimously to support the development of Fisher House Connecticut, a home away from home for military families whose service members are receiving medical care. The national Fisher House Foundation donates such houses to the federal government, which manages the facilities at no charge to military families. The foundation donated $1,000 toward a fundraising dinner for the benefit of the Fisher House Connecticut, which will be located on the campus of the V.A. Medical Center in West Haven. In addition, the foundation will match the $50 purchase of a fundraising brick by any affiliated credit union in Connecticut with the purchase of an additional brick on behalf of the credit union.

GCS Credit Union, Granite City, Ill., recently donated 100 backpacks filled with school supplies to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwestern Illinois. GCS and Radio Disney AM1260 teamed up to donate the backpacks for the third year in a row. All backpacks were distributed by Big Brothers Big Sisters to the local children they serve. In addition, GCS employees raised $925 through jean days to help BBBS purchase additional supplies for the children. Big Brothers Big Sisters individual mentoring helps at-risk youth overcome the many challenges they face. The mission of BBBS is “to provide a mentor for every child in Southwestern Illinois who wants and needs one.”

Insight Credit Union, Orlando, Fla., sponsored two bowling teams in the inaugural Athletes & Animals fundraising event established by 9 Family Connection partner, Stanley Steemer. The event was created to raise funds for Special Olympics Florida and the SPCA of Central Florida. By bowling alongside the 9 Family Connection partners, the WFTV Channel 9 weather team, the news team, sales team and other business partners and community sponsors, more than $15,000 was raised in this event and split equally between the two charities. The Insight Credit Union team captured the trophy for highest scoring team of the 40 participating teams.

Lacamas Community Credit Union, Camas, Wash., has donated $3,000 to the West Columbia Gorge Humane Society in Washougal, Wash. Lacamas selected WCGHS as one of its 2012 community partnerships, local organizations that benefit from the credit union’s fundraising efforts. As part of the check presentation, President/CEO Kathleen Romane toured the shelter, which is undergoing construction of a large outdoor cat shelter addition. Throughout the year, Lacamas raises funds for its community partnerships through sales of See’s candy bars, entertainment books and other activities. The West Columbia Gorge Humane Society is an independent, 501(c)(3) non-profit, no-kill, animal shelter established in 1994. Its programs and services are carried out by a mostly volunteer staff dedicated to caring for animals and finding loving homes for each one. WCGHS operates an extensive foster homes program, a cat shelter and a dog shelter and other programs to help animals in the local community.

MidSouth Community Federal Credit Union, Milledgeville, Ga., presented a donation to the Baldwin County 4-H Club. The 4-H Club is designed to help prepare youth for life by helping them become contributing and caring citizens. This donation will assist is purchasing leadership jerseys for Baldwin County’s outstanding Junior and Senior 4-H’ers. Separately, MidSouth Community FCU’s Member Service Officer Carol Goss recently presented a sponsorship donation to the Twin Lakes Library System. The donation will assist is sponsoring the annual Library Fair fundraiser.

RTN Federal Credit Union, Brookline, Mass., sponsored a dinner for 80 men and women at the Bristol Lodge Soup Kitchen in Waltham. Employees of RTN served the pizza and salad dinner and contributed the funds for the meal through the RTN community outreach committee. Bristol Lodge is an arm of Middlesex Human Services Agency in Waltham, which is a longtime sponsor group of the credit union. The RTN community outreach committee is made up of RTN employees who volunteer to assist local organizations and charities. Funds were raised through voluntary casual dress days during the summer months. The credit union is currently collecting non-perishables to support Bristol Lodge Soup Kitchen.

St. Helens Community Federal Credit Union, St. Helens, Ore., though its community outreach program CU 4 A CAUSE, announced a donation match of up to $5000 for all funds deposited to the St. Helens Backpack Program. The total sum donated was more than $5,000. Additional funds are still needed to pilot this program for 20 students at each elementary school during the 2012-2013 school year, the credit union said. Nearly 50% of children enrolled in the St. Helens elementary schools are receiving free or reduced price meals during the school year. For many of these children, these meals might be the most substantial meals they get during the week. On weekends, when school meals are not available, many children go hungry. A volunteer committee established earlier in 2012 has been working to implement a new program that will serve the students of St. Helens School District elementary schools. The Backpack Program will provide bags filled with child-friendly, nonperishable food that children take home on the weekends.

Service First Federal Credit Union, Sioux Falls, S.D., has been engaged in a number of fundraising activities to benefit Children’s Miracle Network over the past 14 months. In June of last year, the credit union set the goal of raising a total of $25,000 over the next five years for CMN. Thanks in large part to staff involvement, public support, and a number of creative fundraising events, Service First has already raised $17,000, well over half-way to reaching this goal. The credit union said has additional fundraisers coming up this month, a rummage sale and two bake sales. It added that it hopes to far surpass its original goal of $25,000 by the end of 2012.

State Employees’ Credit Union, Raleigh, N.C., members via the SECU Foundation are providing a 10-year $2.5 million low-interest loan to assist with the construction of a Program for All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly facility in Pittsboro, N.C. Under development by Piedmont Health Services Inc., a PACE certified nonprofit organization, the facility will provide services exclusively for older adults who meet state eligibility criteria for nursing home care. The new 4.5-acre rural site in Pittsboro will serve residents of Chatham, Lee and southern Orange counties. PHS and the Department of Family Medicine at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine will collaborate to establish the first teaching PACE program in North Carolina at the center, with will educate medical and allied health professionals in the PACE model. PACE is a self-sustained managed care program that focuses on caring for older individuals with chronic care needs and their families and caregivers in the community rather than in long-term facilities.

Suncoast Schools Federal Credit Union, Tampa, through its foundation announced a grant award of $5,000 to Emergency Care Help Organization, a food pantry and clothing assistance nonprofit located in Brandon. The grant will help fund ECHO’s back to school program that provides children in the Brandon area with the basic necessities for school. The foundation’s grant will provide approximately 250 children who come to ECHO with a voucher for a new pair of shoes, socks and underwear, as well as back to school items from a clothing closet. Families of these children will also receive food, personal hygiene products and clothing. Since 1992, the foundation has donated more than $7 million to various children’s charities and has awarded almost $750,000 in scholarships. The foundation is sponsored entirely by Suncoast Schools Federal Credit Union, allowing 100% of funds contributed to go directly to the organizations and initiatives that assist children in the communities the credit union serves.